Sally Ride was an American heroine, looked up to by a generation of science lovers ever since she made history by blasting into space on NASA’s shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983. On that day she became the first American woman in space.

Tam O’Shaughnessy was Sally Ride’s partner for 27 years, but their partnership was cut short Monday when Ride — the first American woman in space — died of pancreatic cancer at just 61 years old.

But her longtime partner, Dr. Tam E. O’Shaughnessy, is a very accomplished woman in her own right.

O’Shaughnessy was by Sally Ride’s side throughout the astronaut’s 17-month battle against cancer, and before Ride became ill they co-authored four books, including “Mission: Planet Earth: Our World and Its Climate — and How Humans Are Changing Them” and “Voyager: An Adventure to the Edge of the Solar System.”

O’Shaughnessy, a professor emerita of school psychology at San Diego State University, is also chief operating officer and executive vice president of Sally Ride’s foundation, named Sally Ride Science, where the duo and their staff nurtured young students and worked to encourage them to pursue their passions in science, tech, engineering and math

Like Ride, O’Shaughnessy was interested in science from a very young age, and “one of her favorite childhood memories is of watching tadpoles in a creek gradually sprout legs, go green, and turn into frogs,” according to her bio on the Sally Ride Science website.

Yes, provided Romney follows the rules, this is legal but I think it’s so unseemly. Come on folks, let’s not get used to presidential candidates going overseas to raise money. If that becomes the norm, we’ll come to regret it.

On the eve of the Olympic Games, Mitt Romney is planning two separate fundraising events in central London hosted by a variety of banking industry officials, according to copies of the invitations obtained by the Globe.

The events involve a reception – at a cost of $2,500 per person – and a high-dollar “private dinner with Governor Mitt Romney” that will cost from $25,000 to $75,000 per person. Both events will be held at a location in “central London” that has not yet been named.

The Globe reported last week that Bob Diamond, who resigned as chief executive of Barclays bank, was no longer co-hosting one of the fundraisers.

But still among those hosting the events is Patrick Durkin, a registered lobbyist for Barclays, which has been at the heart of a rate-fixing scandal. Durkin, who has been a top Romney bundler, is one of seven chairs for the reception and among the 13 co-chairs for the dinner.

Others involved in hosting the events are Dwight Poler, managing director at the European branch of Bain Capital, the firm Romney founded; Raj Bhattacharyya, managing director at Deutsche Bank; and Dan Bricken, a managing director at Wells Fargo Securities.

[…]

Only American citizens or US green card holders are allowed to contribute to a presidential campaign, and Romney’s fundraising invitations note that attendees “must provide copy of US passport.”

The governor of Missouri on Monday declared a state of emergency due to the drought and prolonged severe heat of this summer, which has so far been blamed in the deaths of 25 people in the state.

“The high temperatures and dry conditions across the state are taking their toll on Missourians,” Governor Jay Nixon said in a statement. “Our farmers are suffering tremendous losses in crops and livestock, and we’re seeing more heat-related deaths and emergency room visits, particularly among seniors.”

[…]

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has confirmed 25 heat-related deaths in the state, including 20 in the St. Louis area. The department also has received hospital reports of 829 heat-related emergency department visits from May 1 through July 22. The weather is also causing a high risk of fire, according to the governor’s office.

Sally Ride died peacefully on July 23rd, 2012 after a courageous 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Sally lived her life to the fullest, with boundless energy, curiosity, intelligence, passion, joy, and love. Her integrity was absolute; her spirit was immeasurable; her approach to life was fearless.

Sally was a physicist, the first American woman to fly in space, a science writer, and the president and CEO of Sally Ride Science. She had the rare ability to understand the essence of things and to inspire those around her to join her pursuits.

Sally’s historic flight into space captured the nation’s imagination and made her a household name. She became a symbol of the ability of women to break barriers and a hero to generations of adventurous young girls. After retiring from NASA, Sally used her high profile to champion a cause she believed in passionately—inspiring young people, especially girls, to stick with their interest in science, to become scientifically literate, and to consider pursuing careers in science and engineering.

In addition to Tam O’Shaughnessy, her partner of 27 years, Sally is survived by her mother, Joyce; her sister, Bear; her niece, Caitlin, and nephew, Whitney; her staff of 40 at Sally Ride Science; and many friends and colleagues around the country.

I love mascarpone so then this delicious-sounding recipe from Chef Mike Isabella via Walnuts.org, passed by my eyeballs, I had to stop.

Isabella suggests paring it with an Eggplant and Walnut Pie but I think it would be great as a veggie dip, as a topping on burgers, as an addition to oh, say, a mushroom omelette, layered in a wrap…and I’m still thinking.

The “liberal media” is so nice to these guys. Thompson’s resume “inaccurately ascribed him a degree in computer science?” Come on! The guy LIED. Someone who lies on their resume should be banished; shunned.